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Final Fantasy XIV celebrating the little ladies
Thus far, the holidays of Final Fantasy XIV have closely paralleled those of Final Fantasy XI, and the latest holiday announcement continues that trend in probably the best way possible. After all, one of the charms of the older game has always been its unique and sometimes offbeat holidays, a tradition held over in the brand-new Little Ladies' Day. It's a chance for players to celebrate the coming of spring, blossoming trees, and of course, their diminutive feminine side. The event will run from February 17th until March 3rd, and the announcement itself previews both the festive decorations for the event as well as the new crafting recipes associated with the holiday. As with previous holidays, there is also a piece of fiction detailing the origin of the revelry, a case of misconstrued motive within the sultanate of Ul'dah. Final Fantasy XIV players can look forward to the event in just a couple of days, an event that promises to provide some much-needed spring cheer along with a surfeit of tasty rice cakes.
Nikon crams 36x zoom in P500, full manual controls in P300, refreshes Coolpix range with tons of color
Is it spring already? Nikon has just assaulted us with no less than nine new Coolpix models, freshening up its consumer offering with a litany of hot new shades, touchscreens and hardware updates. We'll let you dig into the press releases after the break for the full details, but the two new Performance range cameras, the P500 and P300, are worth discussing in more detail. The P500 improves on Nikon's P100 by a few orders of magnification, touting a voyeur-friendly 36x optical zoom, while also offering a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 1080 / 30p video plus stereo sound recording, max ISO of 3200, and an 1100mAh battery. The back is also adorned with a tiltable display, sized at 3 inches diagonally and fitting 920k dots. Yours on March 3rd for $400, €464 or £400, depending on your local currency. %Gallery-115978% The P300 is cheaper at $330 / €348 / £300, however it might well be the more appealing option for image quality obsessives as it boasts a lens with an aggressive F1.8 aperture and 4.2x optical zoom. It shares the same backside-illuminated sensor as you'll find in the P500, but benevolently permits its user full manual control to let him or her capture that perfect shot. Rapid-fire shooting at 8fps for up to seven frames is available, but we're loving the fact it can also do 1080 / 30p with continuous autofocus and the ability to both capture images and use its optical zoom while recording. If Nikon is to be believed, the P300 is basically the P7000 that came out last year, but shrunken down to the size of a compact. It really is a very diminutive and attractive -- it has that intentionally understated matte black finish that huskily whispers the word "prosumer" in your ear -- compact camera. It lands on March 17th. %Gallery-115979% %Gallery-115976%
Game Gripper continues its evolution with a new Epic 4G model, Genesis button layout (video)
Sweet, sweet Game Gripper. You make smartphone gaming a rather less cramping experience, and now you're spreading joy to the fourth generation. Owners of Sprint Epic 4G can now get their Gripper on, and can do so with a lovely new Genesis-inspired layout that offers two rows of three buttons plus a D-pad -- and then another four buttons for good measure. It's rather excitedly demonstrated after the break and, like the earlier models, will set you back $14.99. Now, if only we could get handset makers to start adding shoulder buttons on their cellies.
Sprint's Palm Pre marked for End of Life?
We don't quite know how to break it to you, but if PreCentral sources are correct, Palm's hit a very interesting landmark: its comeback device, the Pre for Sprint, has reportedly reached End of Life (EOL). Warehouse quantities are said to be limited, and after that... well... have fun scouring eBay. Or better yet, maybe consider another carrier for the Plus model or even a full-blown sequel; we can't imagine the original Pixi's gonna cool your cravings. It's been a wild ride since that June 5th, 2009 launch, eh?
The weirdest booth attractions of Gamescom 2010
While most booths at Gamescom relied on the games themselves to attract visitor attention, there were plenty of booths that went to some ridiculous lengths to stand out from the crowd. Take the above picture, which was set up to promote some sort of tractor simulation that's apparently popular in Germany. And that was actually one of the more game-related booths we captured for the odd gallery below. And you thought Gamescom was all about the games. You're so silly.%Gallery-100139%
Breakfast Topic: Where do you go for spring break?
This Breakfast Topic is brought to you by WoW.com's guest blogger program. Want to participate in a future call for guest posts? Read up on how to contribute, and keep an eye on the site for program announcements. It's ironic, but it happens: as we play the game we escape into to alleviate our boredom, we sometimes become, well, really, really bored. The same old dungeons into which to delve, the same conversations in guild chat, the same long wait after another week of bad loot rolls. Start here, fly there, knock down a dozen of those guys, pick up their stuff, and bring it back to the person whose orders we're blindly following to do all this to begin with. Oh, and do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and then for the next few weeks until him and his friends decide they really like you a whole bunch. It all sounds almost too much like real life, like a real job. Even if our real-world daily commute involved riding a small, colorful dragon between a sweaty, humid jungle and a freezing arctic tundra, and our jobs involved slaying the animated corpses of former friends and allies, and our reward included rifling through their gross, dead pockets for quarters (and, if we're lucky, the occasional attractive pair of shoulder pads), all the novelty would soon wear off and we'd eventually be asking other members of the PUG we just joined, "Are you sure it's Wednesday? It feels like a Thursday. It's really only Wednesday?" So as dedicated as I can be to gearing up and progression, I like to take a vacation now and then. A break, if you will, and with spring break upon us and summer break fast approaching, what better time to talk about where we like to wander off to when we're sick of standing around in Dalaran trolling trade and LFG? Personally, when I need a bit of time away from it all, I head back to where it all began -- and as a human, that means Elwynn Forest. Yes, I'm in Stormwind all the time, but when I'm on break, I'll head down to Goldshire to check in on the creepy kids, catch a glimpse of (and righteously throttle) Hogger, and then head over to Westfall and treat myself to a solo Deadmines run. It's refreshing, and best of all, I get to keep every piece of copper dropped. Ah, bliss. So where do you head off to when you need a change of scenery? Where do you escape to when you need an escape in your escape?
Zen Studios' Planet Minigolf will be Move-enabled
Add one more title to the list of PlayStation Move launch games -- Zen Studios has announced that its Planet Minigolf game, set for a release as soon as this spring, will be "Move-enabled." Of course, Move isn't released until later this fall, but Zen promises that their game "will be fully-compatible" with the motion controller anyway. Presumably, that means you'll be able to swing the controller like a putt-putt club, but who knows -- maybe the game will incorporate any number of other minigolf-associated motions, from throwing your club in anger when the clown blocks your shot to stealthily nudging the ball with your foot when your opponent isn't looking. The possibilities are endless!
The Egg Hunt is hatching on Final Fantasy XI
It's that time of year again for Final Fantasy XI -- the time for running about spewing letters of the alphabet, frantic searching, and egg-scrutiatingly bad puns. Yes, the Egg Hunt is here again, a celebration of all things related to spring and denying birds easy access to their offspring. And while not all of the puns and tongue-in-cheek humor will go over easy, the official announcement has both a short humor piece and instructions to keep you from getting fried. The short version is that as you scramble about Vana'diel, you can make a point of talking to the event moogles or trading them eggs. They'll offer up one lettered egg per day for free, and more if you shell out additional eggs. Assemble the first three letters of your character's name for the simplest prize, or go for a more challenging collection like seven of a kind to get even better rewards! While it's one of the sillier and less lore-filled holiday events in Final Fantasy XI, the Egg Hunt should still provide ample opportunity to enjoy some quality time with fellow adventurers. Read the full announcement for all the details, and possibly to prepare yourself for the onslaught of puns. (We've even laid out a few to help.)
Amazon's Forza 3 and ODST 360 Elite bundle now available at GameStop
There are plenty of reasons to be wary about buying expensive electronics over the internet. They could be forever lost to shipping accidents. You could have trust issues about purchasing items from faceless vendors. Or maybe you're just addicted to instant gratification. If brick-and-mortar transactions are your preferred M.O., then you'll be pleased to hear that the formerly Amazon-only 360 Elite Spring Bundle, which comes packaged with Forza Motorsport 3 and Halo 3: ODST, is now available at GameStop for $299.99. We can't stress this enough -- this is by far the best Xbox bundle ever to hit store shelves, so we suggest picking one up if you still find yourself sans 360. There's no telling when the offer will cease to be ... offered, but if we were to wager a guess, we'd say "around the start of the next temperate season." [Via Halo.Bungie.org]
Redeye mini puts ThinkFlood's IR transmitter in a smaller, cheaper package
ThinkFlood released the Redeye in December of last year, which is a little unit that hooks up to your iPhone and, working with a separate app, turns Apple's handheld into universal IR remote. Our own Brett Terpstra liked the device, but said the unit was a little costly and could probably use a few tweaks. ThinkFlood has apparently made those tweaks, however, as they've now announced the Redeye mini, a smaller (and cheaper) form of the IR device. This one doesn't use the dock connector at all -- it's a tiny little unit that just plugs into your headphone port, and then can control any IR remote device with a free app. The price is only US$49, much cheaper than the earlier device ($188). If you've been looking for a cheap and easy-to-use IR hookup for your iPhone, the Redeye mini might be just what you're waiting for. The press release does mention that the device requires you to run OS 3.2 on your iPhone, but given that the only date listed for sales so far is "Spring," ThinkFlood likely won't release until the new version is out anyway. But it'll be something to keep an eye on for sure.
Runes of Magic planning a Masked Ball to welcome spring
While the cold may still be lingering in many places around the globe, in the online lands of Taborea, spring has come. To celebrate, the folks at Runewaker Entertainment and Frogster Interactive are planning a fancy dress Masked Ball for all Runes of Magic players, and you're all invited! The Masked Ball event is set to go live with the next content patch coming up in March. Players will be treated to lots of party-themed cake and fruit -- great for restoring health! There will also be the chance to get some special springtime goodies like ornamental masks and transformation potions through springtime daily quests and other party fun. If you're curious for a sneak peek into the upcoming Masked Ball celebration, be sure to check out the gallery below. Perhaps we'll see you in Runes of Magic for the fun! %Gallery-86514%
It's February 23rd, do you know where your Spring Design Alex is?
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but it looks like the lovely Spring Design Alex has quietly missed its ship date. Back at CES the word was Febuary 22nd and, after spending a little quality time with the thing, we've been counting the days. Here we are on February 23rd and the only thing up for sale at the Spring Design website is a "coming soon" note, and we already have more of those than we know what to do with. Even more discouraging, the Borders site is still listing only Sony Readers up for sale. We've reached out to Spring Design to see what's up, so hang onto your pulp until we get a response. [Thanks, Matthäus]
WiMAX will cover one billion people in 2011, coming soon to NYC and San Francisco
Thought WiMAX was just beaming high-speed internets to a very few lucky technosapiens in far-away lands? Think again! If all goes according to plan, more than 800 million people from the future will be wrapped in its soothing vibrations by the end of this year, and over a billion worldwide in 2011, surpassing expectations. That's an impressive spread given that Sprint just got things rolling domestically in Baltimore about a year and a half ago. Next up will be stops in New York City and San Francisco, good news for urban folks, but will it be enough to hold off the progression of LTE? Don't you love a good wireless format war? We don't. [Thanks, COCOViper]
Nintendo report hints at new Wii titles, Other M release
Nintendo is one of a few companies to release its earnings report earlier this week, and a supplemental report released today has some surprises and new information for Wii owners. Not only does it finally list a target date for Metroid: Other M (you can expect it as soon as summer of this year if all goes according to plan), but there are two brand new names in the list as well: Xenoblade and The Last Story. Xenoblade is listed for a Spring 2010 release, so we should be hearing about that one soon, and The Last Story is listed for sometime this year, with both slated for release on the Wii in Japan. There's reason to believe these are just new names, as both Monado: Beginning of the World and Cosmic Walker are missing from the report, and Monado was being developed by Monolith Soft, known most notably for another Xeno- title you may have heard of. But Monado is still listed for a release in the US this year, so who knows? Other than that, the report lists some titles we expected to see soon: A new Kirby Super Star title, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Wii's Legend of Zelda, Golden Sun for DS, and a few other releases scheduled in 2010. Full list of Japanese Wii releases is after the break.
Nexon bringing Poptag to North America
Hey, you guys know about Nexon America, yeah? The people who brought us MapleStory and Dungeon Fighter Online among many other titles. Well, they've announced that Poptag is coming stateside, which is sort of Bomberman only fully online and with water balloons... So, it's definitely got a specific "thing" going on. While throwing water filled balloons may not quite match up to tossing explosives, the game goes for a fast paced arcade style that should still appeal to people looking for that sort of experience albeit with cutesy water balloon throwing characters. And yes, this will be a free-to-play title with an item store, but that being Nexon's only business model thus far should've had you guessing as much already. But hey! The game also features a "sweetie" system that actually allows players to marry one another in-game proper -- aww. Poptag is scheduled to be released sometime during the first half of 2010, so if you find yourself interested in playing, keep on the lookout.
New Backbreaker trailer promises 'next-level' football
We haven't heard much about Backbreaker in a good year and a half, but the Euphoria Engine-powered football title (thinkThe Force Unleashed, with all of those Stormtroopers flying around) is still hitting first downs. It's now set for a release in spring of 2010 (ah, spring, when everyone's mind turns to football -- oh wait), and 505 Games has screenshots and a brand new trailer to share. The game will boast both online and split-screen multiplayer, Arcade and Pro modes (the tougher one will have AI and visual assists switched off) and full team customization options, including a full logo editor. But of course the real star quarterback here is the physics engine -- while the video hints at some great dynamic tackling and movement, we'll have to wait and see if the gameplay provides some real innovation in the football genre. %Gallery-82057%
Spring Design announces partnership with Borders, lowers price on Alex reader
What do you do when one major book retailer (allegedly) steals your design and makes their own version of it? Why, you go and make a partnership with that major book retailer's major retail competitor, stick out your tongue, and hope for the best! That's what Spring Design seems to have done, signing up with Borders to sell the luscious Alex e-reader that we finally got to play with the other day. Borders will provide retail space for the reader and will create a branded digital book store as well as some "mobile eBook applications" of indeterminate nature. The most interesting part of the announcement? A new price for the device of $359, which makes it exactly 40 dollars more attractive than it was this morning. Full release after the break.
Spring Design Alex comes out to play and show off Marvell's Armada chip
You'd think a pending lawsuit and a grainy official video would be enough exposure for one little dual-screen e-book reader, but Marvell's decided to bring out Spring Design's Alex as a way of showing off their new Armada chip, which claims a faster three frames per second refresh rate along with the usual assorted reductions in cost and power consumption. Maximum PC got the opportunity to see the Alex first-hand at the meeting, and note that while it's definitely thicker than the kindle (blame goes to the larger battery and second screen, naturally), it's a smart little device. Hit up the read link for more pics.
Carbon nanotubes find yet another purpose, could star in ultra-reliable batteries
Carbon nanotubes are kind of like peanuts. They both seem pretty simple at first glance, but with a little work, you can make pretty much anything out of 'em. Take this case, for example, as MIT boffins have discovered that by forming the tube-shaped molecules of pure carbon into minuscule springs, they could be "capable of storing as much energy, pound for pound, as lithium-ion batteries." The real kicker is exactly how they'd do it -- "more durably and reliably." Essentially, these newfangled cells could be left alone for years on end without losing their charge, and unlike conventional batteries, these wouldn't suffer from performance degradation when exposed to temperature extremes. Of course, anything as pie-in-the-sky as this is probably at least a decade or so out from Walmart shelves, but considering that the group responsible has already filed a patent, we'd say they're pretty confident in the possibilities.[Via Physorg]
Latest APB trailer shoots, drives, pops and locks onto your screen
Before you wonder, we'll answer: The third All Points Bulletin official trailer is pretty much all gameplay footage. We say pretty much, because there is a little dancing in it and, well, you'll just have to see for yourselves.What the trailer does with profound effectiveness is make you want to play the game much sooner than Spring 2010. We're not sure if it's the infectious song and its singer requesting that you give him both daft and punk, or if it's because there's a point in the video where three cars leap from stacked freight containers, onto a building and over into a street. Actually, it's probably the delicious combination of those two things.Check out the video after the break.
